Here's a question for those living in the northern New Jersey and New York City area. So many track changes have occurred in the area during the last 40 years, I'm curious to know whether the former Central Railroad of New Jersey lift bridge at Bayhead, NJ, is still in use? If not, is it still in place, and is there continuous trackage, connected to the rail network, on both sides of it? If the bridge is no longer used, was it replaced, or was the route changed?
This bridge was the site of a notorious passenger train accident on October 31, 1958, in which a New York & Long Branch train, operated with Jersey Central equipment, passed a stop signal and fell into the bay while the bridge was in its raised position. Two GP7's and three cars went into the water and the remainder of the train derailed and remained upright on the bridge. 4 Railroad employees and 44 passengers were killed. Another 46 passengers and 2 employees were injured.
